Ok, It's time to regear and right from the start I picked a very clean 78-79 Kingpin disc brake hp d60 front axle and I still run the factory rear d60. My thought is to either regear the rear d60 or put it aside with the original hp d44 front axle as a matched set, then maybe use this FORD DANA 70 SMOOTH BOTTOM SINGLE REAR WHEEL AXLE 3.54 RATIO GREAT UPGRADE JEEP | eBay Is this d70 a respectable axle? should i keep the d60 in? or use something else?
Motor,trans and t-case are next!

 

What size tires?

 

39.5 x 13.5 x 16LT IROK Radials

 

I'm assuming this is a street rig? and not a trail rig?

I wouldn't gear much lower that 4.56's or 4.88's, you want to stay in the engines power band.

Is the engine lugging and a bit of a dog with the 4.10's?

 

I think I am pretty much set on the 4.88's and I have a 203/205 doubler going in front of them, with my C6 trans I think I will have a pretty versaitile rig, but good point, the 4.56's will work as well. my other issue, do I keep my 400 or go 460, may stroke the 400. thoughts? Last if it had a manual trans i think I would not enjoy driving it with the 4.10's/39.5's but the C6 with the torque of 400 make it not so bad. So what about that d70 I mentioned?

 

A dana 70 would be a good upgrade from that 60. I think you could find one a little cheaper. I would find a 70 14 bolt or a sterling and slap a set of rear disc brakes on it. Thats one of the best things I did was a 14 bolt and 4 wheel disc brakes.

 

So I guess the Ford d70 would be a easy swap, what about the 14 bolt? What is it from? What do I look for?

 

I run one of those smooth Dana 70-U's under my truck. IMO it's a good axle but I'm partial to Dana axles. One thing, the deeper the gear the more money for them. I don't remember what I payed fror the 5.13's ? I'm thinking they were $300. So that might be a issue. That price is a little steep, did you make him a offer ? I see he's taking offers.

 

No I did not make an offer yet, I wanted to ask the guys here first. What was the applcation for the smooth d70? any idea

 

The 14 bolt would come out of 3/4 and 1 ton chevys, mine came out of an 84 k20. But any 70s 80s chevys will work. I got mine off craigslist for $100 and talk to guys you have got em cheaper than that. If you got one you would have to relocate the spring perches, not that hard I did so anybody can.

 

If you were closer I have a 70 I would give you. I dont have no use for it but Im in Michigan.

 

I was told when I bought mine it came from a '85 diesel pickup. Shock mounts are different yokes are/should be the same, either way they will interchange. The spring plates are wider, I just cut mine down the middle and welded in a strip to widen it Heated up the U bolts to widen them out as well. The brakes and cables were the same, just the 70 has the 3" wide shoes. I had to shorten my drive shaft some too.